The Man With The Golden Gun
by catherinedoncaster1995
Summary: When Catherine is framed for the murder of the governor's son at a charity auction the team will do everything they can to see the story set straight. Yet her and Steve's actions soon put obstacles in the way, and with her prints on the gun, and a new head of HPD out to land himself a killer case quickly, what can they do?
1. Chapter 1

**THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION - 20:00 **

"A James Bond themed auction for the Reef Fund. It is so cliché and horrible."

"Would you _please_ try not to hate everything already, we have only been here two minutes."

"Five. I'm counting."

People were dressed up to the eyes in glittering finery, eyeing stands depicting images of prizes or purchases that were available during the auction which was commencing in under an hour.

With the rest of the team, Danny walked beside Steve in his suit, eyes wandering over the tables and signs, "how is this any different to the silent auction the governor held last year?"

"This one isn't silent." Steve explained, "It requires people to actually put their hands up for money like a normal auction, you know where you buy cars and things…"

"Yes I know what an auction is Steven." Danny rolled his eyes, "I am just beginning to wonder why the governor invited us."

"Probably to thank us for all the hard work we do."

"By making us spend _more_ money… I am so thankful…"

Steve nodded and pushed his lips together.

"You know I hate things like this."

Danny had lasted exactly five seconds without finding something new to complain about.

Catherine smiled, her arm through Steve's as she wormed their way through the crowded room.  
"But you _insist _on wearing a suit and tie all the time, this is just another evening at the office for you." Steve raised his eyebrows at his partner.

"A normal evening at the office does not constitute me having to spend my own money on things I am not interested in."

"There is literally," Steve put a hand up as they stopped to collect champagne flutes, "_nothing_ that pleases you."

He handed Catherine a flute of champagne and wrapped an arm around her back. As they marked their spot on the edge of the bidding floor, examining the tables around them and the brochures they held. Kono wore a brilliant blue dress, and Chin looked dapper in his tux.

"Nothing that invoices you pleases me." Danny corrected, all but draining his flute of champagne. Steve opened his mouth to retort but Catherine put a hand to his chest lifted an eyebrow, tilting her head back to gleam at him.

Kono and Chin laughed as Steve's free hand spread on Catherine's back. The deep navy dress she wore was low cut, but clung to all of her curves, her hair falling in loose curls around her shoulders.

"So you found anything here that you are going to bid on?" Chin asked.

"No ukulele lessons then?" Kono teased.

"Or football season tickets." Catherine laughed, looking between Danny and Steve.

Steve shrugged as Danny shook his head firmly, "Oh no no no… I am _not_ getting sucked into this conversation, I am doing my bidding, i_f I do any_, away from you lot, so you can't victimise me because it's me."

"You really think I am just out get you don't you…" Steve laughed.

"I don't think it I _know_ it." Danny muttered.

"Have you seen this…?" Kono leant forwards to show Catherine a picture inside the brochure for the evening, "they are selling one of the necklaces Elizabeth Taylor once wore…"

"Really?" Catherine swallowed her champagne and leant close, "wow… you know I heard they sold a similar one in France for $200,000 plus…"

"On a _necklace_?" Steve screwed his eyes up.

"Uh-huh."

"I wonder how to governor came by something like that?" Chin mused.

Catherine shrugged, "Perhaps it was donated…"

"Says here it was given by an anonymous benefactor to the governor's mother shortly before her death last year, and he knows she would have wanted it sold to raise money for the reef project." Kono held up the brochure she was still holding.

"And looking around the room…" Danny could see most of the men in the room being instructed by champagne bearing wives or girlfriends to take an interest in the photo of the necklace in the brochure, "It might be the object that has the most interest…"

"I doubt it…" Kono laughed and gestured with her hand to a tall dark skinned gentlemen across the room who had his arm looped around a young blonde woman in gold's' shoulders, but his eyes were periodically drifting to Catherine, "Check it out, he has barely looked away from you since we came in."

Catherine lifted her eyebrows, "Really?"

"Who?" Steve's eyes snapped around.

Chin blew air out of his cheeks, "that is Glenn, Governor Denning's son. Apparently he works for the FBI."

"What did he have you run his prints already?" Danny gestured between Steve and Chin.

Steve watched as Glenn cast what he hoped was a casual glance over his shoulder at Catherine again.

"How old is he, eighteen?" Steve straightened, his arm moving almost possessively around Catherine's waist, tilting her towards him.

"Nineteen according to Hawaii's most eligible bachelors." Catherine laughed, laughter which turned into a giggling scold as he held her ever closer, "_Steve_, stop it!" She hissed, poking him in the side.

Glenn the governor's son narrowed his eyes as commander McGarret lifted his eyebrows almost in challenge, arm around Catherine, and promptly turned back to his giggling date.

"I thought that you were Hawaii's most eligible bachelor?" Chin asked.  
"I am." Steve said firmly, his competitive edge poking through as Glenn's eyes shifted once more back to Catherine across the packed room.

"Oh and what am I, your mistress?" Catherine laughed in mock horror, lifting her eyebrows.

Steve smirked at her, "Very funny."

"_Alright ladies and gentlemen the bidding will commence shortly." _The governor's voice boomed over the microphone. He stood raised on the stage before them all, and was smiling his senate-worthy grin.

Dutifully they applauded politely, before turning back to the brochure.

"The necklace is probably the only thing worth bidding on…" Catherine commented, "and even those diamonds aren't worth the amount of money they are going to go for."

"You could go on the holiday of a lifetime with that amount of cash." Chin agreed.

"As much as I love the Reef Project I would rather donate money by buying a round here, _not_," Danny pointed to the photo, "by purchasing a chain of rocks."

"Diamonds Danny." Catherine teased.

"It would be one hell of a valentines present through." Kono agreed.

"Commander McGarret."

The voice made them all turn around to see a middle aged man with thinning hair and a newly pressed black suit. He had narrow eyes and pushed a hand out towards Steve, who took it and shook it firmly.

"I am Roy Higgins, the new head of HPD, it is a pleasure to meet you commander." His stiff tone did nothing to reinforce his words and Steve put on his best polite and courteous smile.

"Let me introduce my team. This is Catherine Rollins, Kono Kalakaua, Chin Ho Kelly and Danny Williams." He gestured to them respectively.

"So what made you decide to come to this bit of rock?" Danny tried his best to smile but something about the new head of HPD Roy Higgins made his stomach twist.

"I retired from the FBI a few weeks ago but soon got bored annoying my wife back in San Francisco, I saw an opening here and jumped at it."

Something about the response was too rehearsed and it made Steve narrow his eyes.

"Ah," Danny looked to Steve, "someone who is clearly as built for retirement as you will be."

"I am not going to retire." Steve stated.

"Oh?" Danny lifted his eyebrows, looking between them all, pointing to Catherine, "I didn't know this. Did you know this? You?"

"Well I'm not surprised," Catherine looked from Danny to Steve, "I can't see him spending his golden years sat on the lanai with grandchildren at his feet can you?"

"No you are right; he is _far_ more likely to be killed in action." Danny commented flatly, "Probably taking all of us with him."

"Well retirement isn't for everyone, certainly not for me." Roy commented again, almost looking to Steve in challenge, "I am sure you are used to the 'be all you can be' mantra."

"That is from the Army. I am a Navy SEAL." Steve stated firmly, "Catherine was a Navy Lieutenant."

"Oh I am sorry." The smile that came across Roy's face was sickly, and it made his face almost narrow into a sneer.

"It is fine, for those who aren't military it is an easy mistake to make."

The put down from the commander made the sickly grin move sharply from Roy's face.

He straightened, "the governor has brought my in to make sure HPD runs as well as it can, elevate some unwelcome pressure from your team, hand the work back to the real police officers."

"Well I can assure you Mr Higgins that my team does not need you to worry about us, in _fact_ we do a completely watertight job solving crimes for the governor and keeping the people of this island safe." Steve cut him off firmly.

There was silence for a moment and the tension between the two turned suffocating.

Roy inclined his head with a sly smirk, "then let's hope that nothing happens to put the people closest to you in danger commander, while you are running around playing toy shoulders."

Steve's shoulders broadened impossibly and Catherine moved a hand quickly behind his back to grip at the back of his jacket, as though she hoped to hold him in place like a dog on a lead.

Roy's eyes snapped to her and he 'smiled', turning her stomach, "if you will excuse me 'Five O'" He almost laughed, "I should go and meet some more people before the bidding commences."

Roy stepped away.

As his back moved away from them Steve stepped forward instantly, "did that sound like a threat to you? Huh?"

"Steve." Catherine put a hand on his chest, "leave him. He is trying to goad you…"

"And it is obviously working." Danny commented, seeing the tension in Steve reach new heights, "seriously what is the matter with you?"

"Nothing." Steve reached for another flute of champagne, drinking it in one long drag, "Nothing."

Catherine turned her head and watched as Roy moved away through the crowded room. Her own eyes narrowed when she saw his eyes drift to the giggling blonde date of the Governor's son Glenn in the gold. Kono watched as she looped her arm around Glenn's shoulders, stretching up to whisper in her ear, yet her eyes caught Roy's over Glenn's shoulder, a silent exchange passing between the two that Kono couldn't fathom before Roy made his way into the crowd of people, disappearing from sight.

In the same moment Glenn looked back to her, his eyes falling over her form, gaze only broken when duty called and his father stepped up to the mic once more.

"Ladies and gentlemen," his voice boomed through the room, "I hope you have all taken the time to enjoy the champagne and talk amongst yourself, but also to look at the fabulous prizes that are available in tonight's auction, with all money made going towards the Oahu Reef Fund, so please give generously."

There was a pause, filled with the expected clapping, allowing time for a young waitress to step atop the stage beside the Governor and his lectern, under the huge poster declaring the auction a "benefice to the Oahu Reef Fund," spelled out in a pattern of shells and gold coral which made Chin roll his eyes.

The young waitress then held aloft something which made the room fill with appreciative and wondering murmurs.

The glittering necklace from the brochure gleamed in the various lights which illuminated the stage.

"It looks even better in real life…" Catherine whispered to Kono on her right.

"I bet that is what Glenn the governors on is thinking about you, has he tried to add you on Facebook?" Kono whispered back with a barely repressed laugh, "He is _still_ looking at you."

"Shut up." Catherine nudged Kono playfully with her elbow, rolling her eyes as she, like Steve on her left, clocked the site of Glenn staring at her pointedly over his shoulder.

"This is lot number one," The governor was speaking again, "an item donated to the auction in memory of my late mother, the owner of this necklace. It hosts twelve diamonds described as 'flawless', set in Silver and sapphire, worn by Elizabeth Taylor to her thirteenth birthday party and then sold for charity, as we intend to do tonight."

Amidst the next round of obedient applause, but Unbeknownst to the Five O team, new head of HPD Roy Higgins turned his head to look at the woman on Glenn the Governors son's arm.

She met his gaze and let out a small rueful smirk, before turning to a none-the-wiser-Glenn, who she kissed on the cheek and whispered in his ear.

Glenn chuckled and threw an almost cocky look over his shoulder at the towering Steve McGarret, who narrowed his eyes slightly in response as Glenn faced forward again.

"He is beginning to annoy me, keep throwing glances your way…" Steve muttered.

"Ignore him." Catherine rubbed his arm, "anyway I am the one who should be jealous, I have spotted at least thirty women in here who are undressing you with their eyes."

"No you haven't." Steve reprimanded her.

"I've counted thirty four now." She responded, looking pointedly at the young blushing waitress who grazed her hand against Steve's with staged carelessness as she took his empty champagne flute and replaced it with a filled once.

She scuttled away and Chin chuckled, shaking his head.

"We have had a lot of internet interest in this piece," The governor declared, "as your brochure explains the pieces have been available for internet viewing for several weeks, in order to attract the most attention possible, in the hopes of raising the most money for such a worthy cause."

More applauding.

"My hands are beginning to hurt." Danny muttered, "and we have barely even started yet. When is the buffet coming out?"

"After the auction of thirty pieces." Chin informed him.

Danny visibly paled, shaking his head, "Great."

"This piece would be a fabulous gift for that special lady, or a surprise for Valentine 's Day which I would like to remind all the men out there is next Friday…"

Dutiful laughing signalled by the governors break in speech to smile and chuckle easily.

"This is painful." Danny murmured.

"Or perhaps there are bachelors out there looking to spring it on a lady who they haven't come with tonight… good luck to you."

There was more laughing but Steve did not join in, not when he saw Glenn turn his head over his shoulder _once again_ to look at Catherine.

The governor spoke loudly into the mic, "so due to the mass internet interest we will start the bidding in the room at Three _thousand_ dollars."

There were mutterings and murmurings, and with exaggerated casualness, Glen lifted his hand into the air.

Chatter rose sharply as the governor clocked his son bidding.

A strange flicker passed over the man's eyes and he nodded, putting back on his poster smile and chuckling, "My son Glenn has inherited his father's impulsiveness it seems," his chuckle caught but only for a moment, "DO we have any other takers, looking for Three thousand one hundred dollars now?"

Danny shook his head along with Chin as Glenn grinned in triumph and the governor cast his eyes over the room, "No one is seriously going to…"

"I will!" Steve shouted, lifting his hand in the air sharply.

People gasped and chuckled, turning to look between commander McGarret, the governor and the governor's son, whose eyes had narrowed in fury at Steve.

"I stand corrected." Danny sounded like he was in pain, "what are you doing?"

"Steve." Catherine gasped.

"Three thousand two hundred!" Glenn's voice filled the room and Danny put his hands over his eyes.

"I can't watch this."

"Commander McGarret, three thousand three hundred?" The governor looked back to Steve.

The head of Five O grinned competitively, looped his arm for all to see around Catherine's shoulders and lifted his champagne flute into the air by way of a toast, "How about three thousand and five hundred dollars to make it even?"

Catherine looked around in embarrassment as people gossiped and gasped, Glenn once again lifting his hand in immediate response, "Four thousand!"

"Steve stop…" Cath looked up to beg him, "please this isn't funny…"

"Five thousand!" Steve shouted.

The governor looked to his son; hands braced on the lectern now, "Glenn?"

"Six thousand!"

His sons cry made the governor push his lips together to quiet his fury, before gesturing to Steve, "commander McGarret the bidding is with you."

"Steve stop, once more I ask you… this is ridiculous, you can't spend thousands on a _necklace_…" Catherine tugged on his hand but he wouldn't look at her, instead choosing to call back.

"I bid seven thousand Mr Governor Sir!"

Catherine dropped her head to her hand and wished the floor would swallow her up.

"I said tonight was a bad idea," Danny was muttering, "Anything involving him ends in disaster, even something that is for charity, although to be fair," he leant across Catherine to assure her, "I think this has less to do with you and more about wanting to show 'Glenn the Governors nineteen year old son' that throwing his money around and having a rich daddy doesn't mean he can touch Steve's things…"

"We are now bidding at eight thousand dollars with you Glenn." The governors eyes were fighting not to look angry as he stared at his son, "that is eight _thousand_ dollars that will be paid to the Oahu Reef Fund upon purchase, eight_ thousand_ dollars."

"Make it nine!"

Glenn's response caused more talk in the room and Steve chuckled slightly at the stir this was causing.

"He's just a kid with a crush. Let him have it." Catherine hissed, "_Please_ Steve this is embarrassing."

Steve stared finally looked down to her, staring at her as she drew in a breath, her hand tight around his wrist.

"Its thousands of dollars," She whispered, "and it's a necklace we don't want… don't spend that much money on competitive spite with a _kid_…"

"Commander?"

Steve stared at Cath, watching as held his gaze, imploring him to stop being stupid.

"Steve?" The Governor questioned.

Drawing in a long breath Steve shook his head, looking up at the governor, "No."

A ripple of surprise went through the crowd and Danny and Catherine alike, who had never thought that Steve would back down, not for lack of trying.

"Glenn can have his prize." Steve declared, "I don't need to spend that much money on a necklace. Enjoy it!" He called across the room to Glenn, "Give it to a woman in your life."

As he spoke his arm gently rested on the small of Catherine's back and she relaxed.

Glenn's eyes blazed and the governor straightened, smacking the hammer down on the lectern.

"Sold, to Glenn Denning's, for the total of nine thousand dollars."

There was an awkward pause of five seconds, before people started to clap and cheer.

Glenn Denning's made his way up on stage to collect his prize, his date on his arm.

Her blonde hair nearly blinded the audience under the lights as Glenn shook his father's hand.

The governor pulled him close, "and how exactly do you expect to pay for that?"

Glenn stiffened, but only for a moment. He chuckled and leant back in, "I rather think that is your problem father, it is your Reef Fund after all."

With that he tugged his hand from his father's grip and turned to the waitress to lift the necklace from her hands, holding it aloft in the box.

People clapped again and a few cheered. Glenn laughed and held his arm out to his date. She took it, stepping close, "would you like me to hold that for you?"

Glenn laughed in her face, "Having spent nine thousand dollars on it, what do you think I am stupid, it cost more for this evening than you did."

Her face turned stony but it disappeared almost instantly, as she leant close to kiss his cheek, whispering in his ear, "then perhaps we should go out to the patio and I can congratulate you properly."

The woman who was his date must have been five years his senior, nearer Catherine's age than his own.

His face lit up like a little spoiled boy at Christmas and he nodded, taking her by the hand and walking away.

As they turned through, one hand fell behind her back and her two of her fingers extended, making a careful gesture behind her back to the audience, all of whom did not see it, except for one man who was waiting for it.

In the audience new head of HPD Roy Higgins scowled and drained his champagne, turning and striding from the room.

**THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION – 22:00**

Catherine was returning from the ladies room when a soft bang to her left, followed by a creek, made her stop walking. She narrowed her eyesand turned to see the fire exit door open, and banging softly in the wind.

She looked up and down the corridor she stood in, the voices and music from the main auction room to her right sounding muffled through the door.

Seeing no one in sight, around her or out of the door, Cath narrowed her eyes and stepped out through the open fire exit door into onto the patio area of the south lawn of the Governor's mansion.

**THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION – SOUTH LAWN – 22:00**

"Can I at least look at it..."

Glenn-the-governor's-son's date stretched up on her toes to nip his earlobe, hands on his broad arms, "come on…"

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Glenn shoved her away almost roughly, causing her to stagger on her glittering, gold, too high, heels, "Hands off. I just spent thousands on this!"

His date narrowed her eyes and tossed her head, pushing her lips together, "_fine_."

She turned and marched away, her heels clipping on the stone as she rounded the corner of the building, the opposite corner to where Catherine was heading.

Glenn eyed the necklace in his hands, turning it over and over.

Yet even in his half drunken state he froze when he heard the click of a gun cocking.

Something hard pushed into his back.

"Don't move." The rough voice spoke through a ski mask, "hand it over."

**THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION – 22:05**

"Hey… you look like you have lost a limb, what is wrong with you?" Danny returned to the group to see Steve casting his eyes around, trying to appear relaxed but struggling.

"The governor's wife keeps smiling at me…" Steve muttered, "And she keeps waving, and Cath's not here…"

"Ahhh I see… you are struggling with social interaction, can't say I'm surprised." Danny lifted his eyes, "and you have just admitted that you really _can't_ live without Catherine, I am sure she will be thrilled…"

**THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION – SOUTH LAWN – 22:05**

"Hand. It. Over."

The sharp voice was only just behind Glenn, and the barrel of the hand gun the shooter held was pressed firmly between his shoulder blades.

"Not likely." Glenn scoffed, glancing over his shoulder and fighting to hide the terror in his eyes, "do you have nine thousand dollars to trade for it?"

Cold blue eyes glared out at him from behind the ski mask, a golden gun glinting in his hands.

"Hand it over. Now." The shooter snarled.

"Hey!"

The sharp high voice made the shooter and Glenn both spin, turning to see as Catherine picked up her skirts and ran across the lawn.

The shooter spun and kicked his foot out hard. He sent Glenn down in front of him and held his gun out.

The shot rang through the air.

**THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION – 22:07**

The sharp sound of gunfire made everyone in the room flinch, and some cry out in panic.

"Was that gunfire?" Chin demanded as he ran up to the group, already drawing his gun as Danny and Steve did the same.

"It's coming from outside!" Danny spun.

"Yeh and where is Catherine?" Steve demanded as they pushed their way through the crowd of people to sprint to the stairs that led out to the lawn.

**THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION – SOUTH LAWN – 22:10**

Glenn- the-governor's son lay on his back, gasping and groaning, hands clutching at the bleeding bullet hole through the center of his chest. His eyes rolled back into his head and he made a choking noise.

IN his hurry to grab the necklace from Glenn's cold hands, the shooter caught his golden gun on his knee as he bent over, and ti went spinning from his hand.

He turned and bolted, racing towards the bushed at the south end of the lawn.

Catherine skidded across the ground to Glenn on her knees, tearing her dress and ripping it slightly as it hindered her movements.

She grabbed the golden gun off of the floor and lifted it, pulling the trigger.

It made a click but did not fire.

She tried again, in vain, as the shooter disappeared into the bushed, necklace in hand.

As he disappeared from sight she looked down at the gun in her hand, opening it and finding it empty.

She threw it aside and pressed her hands over Glenn's wound. The man was not moving.

"Glenn!" She shouted, "Glenn look at me!"

Nothing.

She swallowed, pressing the tips of two fingers to his neck and sighing shortly…

Someone started to scream.

Her head snapped around to see Glenn's blonde date stood with her hand over her mouth, barely stifling her blood curdling shriek, "You killed him, you killed him!"

Then there was a crowd.

The governor was shouting, grabbing hold of his wife who was screaming too, "Glenn, _Glenn_!"

HPD surrounded her, knelt beside Glenn's body, his blood on her hands as she had tried to save his life.

Seven HPD officers made a circle around her, guns pointed.

Head of HPD Roy Higgins pushed his way through, his sharp blue eyes locking on her, "Catherine Rollins, throw the put your hands up behind your head…"

"What?" She gasped, "I didn't kill him, there was a shooter I…"

"What is going on here!"

Steve's thundering voice shattered the cries and gossips in the night air and Catherine looked up as she stood, making to walk towards him through the line of HPD.

"You stay there." Higgins thundered, "Put her in cuffs…"

"You step away from her." Steve was marching towards him, "what the hell is…"

The sight of Governor Dennings' son lying flat on his back, shot in the chest, his mother and father crying with a crowd of wealthy onlookers watching as one of Five O, notably Commander McGarrets girlfriend, was being pushed and pulled between officers as they put her in cuffs behind her back.

Cath's wide eyes met his briefly and he stared at her, feeling his heart snap in his chest.

Fury pushed through him and he rounded on Higgins as Danny, Kono and Chin, along with captain Grover, looking formidable in large tuxedo, towered behind him, "let her go _now_…"

"I think it is all fairly obvious what has happened here Mr. Governor sir." Higgins was speaking loudly, for the benefit of the onlookers as though he was in stage. He gestured to Catherine who had her hands cuffed behind her face, her dress torn and dirty around her knees, and two HPD officers holding her elbows, several others pointing guns at her, forming a wall between her and Steve, "Ms. Rollins was upset over Commander McGarret not buying her the necklace. She clearly tried to woo Glenn into giving her the necklace but he refused so she shot him, making to steel the jewelry."

"If that is true then where is it?" Catherine snapped, "You say that you caught me in the act, then where is that necklace if I shot him and stole it?"

"Answer that Higgins!" Steve shouted, "You can't can you? Because Catherine didn't do it..."

"I am not at liberty to discuss case information with you commander." Higgins rounded on Steve in fury, not stepping through the HPD armed officers that separated them. He inclined his head firmly, "I shall interview Miss Rollins in private back at HPD as we take control of the investigation."

"Five o handles high profile homicides on the island." Steve declared in similar defiance, "Let Catherine go."

"Not any more they don't!" Higgins shouted, "Our chief suspect is one of your task force it would be highly inappropriate for you to run with the case." He pointed jaggedly at Catherine.

"Let her go, you have no way to tie her to the murder." Steve was shaking his head, full of rage.

"Her finger prints are going to be found to be all over the murder weapon." Higgins almost spat, before he turned back to Catherine, holding his hands open to mock her, "Deny that miss Rollins if you can."

Catherine straightened, feeling a twist in her gut as she so clearly remembered trying to use the murder weapon to shoot the shooter. She swallowed and shook her head, "I can't."

"Ah." Higgins laughed shortly.

Danny lifted his hands to run them down his face and Chin held Kono's elbow.

"I picked up the gun to try and shoot the shooter as he took off with the necklace." Her words gained volume and pace as she spoke.

"Or did you let him go?" Higgins rounded on her. A crack shot from the navy such as yourself should surely have been able to shoot a fleeing attacker, who happened to so carelessly leave behind his own gun."

"It was obvious I spooked him." Catherine shouted, "He took off as fast as he could but the gun wouldn't fire, there was only one round in it from the start."

"A shooter no one else saw?" Higgins scoffed, "Highly unlikely."

"There must be CCTV on his part of the lawn..." Steve declared as like his, Catherine's eyes flashed around.

"Be quiet commander this is not your concern." Higgins threw at him.

"You are refusing to listen to the testimony of a suspect who is one of my task force that is my concern." Steve thrust a finger towards Catherine as his voice grew to a bellow.

"This is not your investigation." Higgins shouted, "Interviews will be conducted down at HOD I assure you of that. Book her." He gestured to his officers.

"What! No!" Steve shouted marching forwards.

"Steve, _Steve_!" Danny shot forwards, grabbing Steve's arms and towing him backwards. He wrenched his arms free but Grover grabbed him, "Higgins let her go!"

"Catherine Rollins." Higgins read the riot act as Catherine was dragged by both elbows across the lawn towards where the blue lights of several police cars and an ambulance waited, "You are under arrest for the murder of Glenn Dennings. You do not have to say anything..."

"Higgins let her go!" Higgins!" Steve bellowed, "Get off me Grover now I swear to god… _Higgins!"_

"Steve calm down, stop!" Danny put his hands up.

"Don't you worry governor sir, ma'am." Higgins nodded to them as he stopped before them, " I will see that this shooter is delivered the sentence she deserves.

"She isn't the shooter!" Steve shouted, "Listen to her! Higgins! Governor Sir!"

"Steve stop before you get yourself arrested too." Grover struggled with him, "_Steve_!"

"_Catherine_…. _Higgins_!" Steve bellowed, still fighting to get free of Grover's arms as across the lawn, Catherine was pushed into a HPD car, the door slamming shut as Higgins marched over, climbing in with an officer.

Steve thought his head would explode.

"_Catherine_!"


	2. Chapter 2

**THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION – FRONT LOT – 22:20**

"I don't care what Higgins says." Steve was pacing up and down between the Camaro, Cath's corvette, and Kono's red ride.

His friends were rubbing their necks and faces in shock, whereas Steve just paced up and down in rage "New head of HPD or not I don't trust him not to pin this on Catherine just because he can and it would be an easy fix to a high profile case."

"The governor will not give us authorisation to investigate if Catherine is innocent…" Danny stepped forward, "We can't investigate if she is innocent because of your relationship with her…"

"What do you mean _'if'?" _Danny was not prepared for the volume of Steve's shout, or the sudden fury rolling off his body, "_What_? You don't think she is?"

"Of course I do." Danny put his hands up like he was stopping traffic, "But if she is innocent then the only way to prove that is to find the person who is guilty… and new head of HPD Higgins isn't about to let that happen."

"Then we need to talk to the governor."

"He has just lost his son Steve…"

"I don't care!" He turned and made to march away but Grover pushed him back.  
"Steve calm down."

"I'll shoot you if you get in my way again…" Steve snarled but was quickly spun, arm behind his back, bent over the bonnet of Cath's corvette.

Danny put his hands to his head and closed his eyes as Steve struggled, "Get off of me Grover…"

"Not until you calm down." Grover snapped, "Now I understand that they took your lady but you are going to go in there, all guns blazing, and the governor is going to have you in handcuffs faster than you can _blink_."

Staring at the blue paint of her car which was pushed up to his face, Steve closed his eyes for a moment, feeling as though he was wrapped in his own frustration to the point where it hurt.

Slowly, he lifted his hands out to either side of his head.

Even slower, Grover released him.

Steve straightened and turned away.

"We need to give the governor time to come to terms with it… _tomorrow_," Danny stressed, "We will talk to him if we get nowhere with Higgins. I suggest we find out what we can about what is going on, then we go and see if we can see Cath, if we get nowhere because Higgins won't let us, _then_ we go and see the governor."

"Commander."

The voice made them all turn, and saw Max walking towards them, holding two evidence bags in his hands.

Both glinted as they contained something gold.  
"Is that the murder weapon?" Steve demanded, pointing to what Max held in one of the bags.  
"Quite." Max nodded, "Only this gun could have fired the bullet I recovered from the victim's chest. There were no other discharge traces around."

"So Cath was telling the truth," Chin spoke.

"Of course she was." Steve snapped.

Chin drew in a breath but proceeded, "I meant, what she said about not being able to fire another gun, about it being empty, checks out?"

"Quite." Max inclined his head, "I am going to send them both to our good friend Charlie Fong for processing, "The new head of HPD had left orders with his men on the ground that I was not to talk to you, but when I heard that they had taken Catherine in for questioning, I thought it only right…"

"Thanks Max." Steve nodded gravely, "I would appreciate it if you could keep us informed, as we make moves to try and take back over this case…"

"Indeed." Max nodded, turning and walking away.

"Let's go and see Catherine." Steve checked his SIG and Danny held his hands up immediately.

"Put that away… Higgins is not going to let you see her if we go in all guns blazing, I say 'we' I mean 'you'." He stated.

"He might not let you in anyway. This isn't our investigation…" Chin stepped forward.

Steve held his eyes with a furious level of certainty.

"Not _yet_."

**KAILUA PRISON – 22:45**

"I am here to see Catherine Rollins."

Commander Steve McGarret stood before the young HPD officer who was sat behind his desk in the boring white office.

Looking formidable in his tux, bow tie still done up, Steve was giving the impression that his patience was wearing thin as the young officer tapped away on the computer.

Danny stood beside him, jacket discarded in the car on the way there, arms folded, shifting from one foot to another; worried Steve was on the verge of punching through the safety glass which separated him from the officer.

"I am sorry Commander McGarret," the young officer swallowed, "It says here that she is not allowed visitors because her investigation is ongoing. Our head of HPD Detective Higgins has said until his questioning has ended she can see no one."

Steve let this wash over him for a moment before his hands crashed down on the desk top, causing the safety glass to shake, "Let me in!"  
"Commander I can't..."

"Steve." Danny put his hands out.

Steve was gripping the edge of the desk, "Let me speak to Catherine Rollins."  
"She is a suspect in a murder investigation opened by our head Roy Higgins..." The young officer fought to explain, "No one is allowed access to her apart from HPD personnel."  
Steve produced his badge and smashed it beneath his palm against the safety glass, "I am head of five o..."

The muscles on his arm strained through his jacket, and for one strange moment Danny was terrified his clothes would tear in a Hulk-esque moment.  
"This isn't a Five O investigation sir." The officer pressed, "As a Five o member it is written here she should not see you... Commander I am sorry," He almost shrugged and sighed, "But if I let you see her it is a flout of what is written in her profile I could lose my job. I've got kids. I'm sorry."

Steve pushed his lips together and Danny nodded, stepping forward, pulling Steve away from the glass, "We understand, thank you… and we would appreciate it if you wouldn't mention our little visit to head of HPD Higgins, please."

Steve stepped back as the young officer nodded, "of course detective Williams."

Danny nodded and glanced at Steve, who turned and strode to the door.

**FIVE O HQ – 23:00**

"Well that went well…" Danny commented as they entered the bull ring main concourse of HQ.

"Really?" Chin and Kono stepped away from the smart table, still dressed in their finery.

"Of course it didn't." Danny sighed, "Higgins has left orders not letting anyone, especially any of us, see her."

"Did Max or Fong phone?" Steve demanded, all but ripping his bow tie from his neck. He smacked it down on the smart table and looked at chin and Kono.

"No not yet." Kono sighed, "But it could be if it's a HPD led investigation things are taking a little slower than they would for us…"

"Or maybe Higgins has got a wrap on them being able to talk to us." Chin supplied.

Steve closed his eyes as though he was in pain.

"I say we all go home and get some sleep." Danny offered as gently as he could, "we will meet back here in the morning and see if Fong and Max can talk to us some more… and see if we can see Catherine."

"Higgins will probably have questioned her tonight; he might be done with her by the morning." Chin agreed.

"Okay then." Kono walked forwards, hugged Steve briefly, clapped Danny on the shoulder, and left with Chin.

Steve remained braced over the Smart Table, his back strained.

"I will give you a ride home, then I will pick you up in the morning. We can go and see the governor and pick up Catherine's corvette." He said gently.

Steve shook his head, "No…"

"Come on. She would expect you to look after yourself…"

"She is expecting me to be able to get her out of there and sort this but _can't_ because Higgins is putting obstacle's in the way!" Steve snapped, "This should be my investigation…"

"And ti will be, in the morning." Danny pressed, "Come on… you will need some sleep. You want to look your best for when you see her tomorrow… or _she_will be the one questioning _you_ on _why_ you didn't get a good night's sleep."

Danny reached up to gently rest his arm across Steve's shoulders, "come on…"

He steered the Navy SEAL towards the door, but felt none of the tension leave his shoulders.

**KAILUA PRISON – 00:00 MIDNIGHT**

She could hear the sound of doors closing, and officers and wardens with keys and guns patrolling up and down the icy corridors.

Catherine lay on her back in her tiny confinement cell, on an uncomfortable bunk on her back.

The standard orange pants and grey best she wore scratched at her cold skin, and her fingers toyed with the rough blanket she laid on either side of her hips.

She swallowed, staring at the black ceiling in the darkness, the silhouette of the bars on her window shining over her across a patch of white moonlight which showed her the floor.

Her eyes closed, thinking over it all, and trying to ignore the stinging pain in her cheek.

The grace was close under her eye, and burned because it was fresh.

"_Sign the confession!"_

_Head of HPD Roy Higgins paced before her on the other side of the steel table, pointing and shouting at her, a piece of paper and a pen in front of her on the table._

_Not that she could have signed it even if she wanted to, for her hands were handcuffed behind her back, the chair back between her wrists and her spine._

"_Why would I sign something that disregards everything I have told you?" She demanded sharply, "You have not listened to my statement at all!"_

"_You will sign it!"_

"_No I won't!"_

"_You will!"_

_His thundering voice cut through the air and she didn't see his fist do the same until it struck her._

_She cried out when his knuckles smacked against her jaw, the ring on his finger cutting her skin._

Now, an hour later, with the confession still unsigned, Catherine was hand cuffed free and in her confinement cell, mind spinning so fast she knew that sleep would not come.

She had grazes and bruises around her wrists from the too tight cuffs and she swallowed, closing her eyes and letting out a long breath.

**MCGARRETT RESIDENCE 00:30 **

Zero dark thirty ticked around and Steve lay flat on his back in bed.

It felt too large, too empty, and too cold without Catherine beside him.

He was wearing just his sleep shorts; SEALS tee hanging over the headboard on Cath's side, for it was hers to sleep in now.

His eyes moved across to the alarm clock and saw it had only been three minutes since he had last looked.

Groaning he reached for her pillow, putting it over his face as though he thought it would drown out his own racing thoughts and beating heart.

Yet the smell of her shampoo from when she so often climbed into bed freshly showered, her perfume and the thoughts that crashed through him of her soft cheek resting on the fabric, sent a painful jolt through Steve.

He pushed the pillow away and sat up, flinging his legs over the side and reaching for his SEALS tee.

He yanked it over his head and strode from the room, grabbing his pone and keys as he sprinted down stairs, his head caught on the photo which stood beside the alarm clock on her side of the bed.

The photo of them smiling at the Governors last reception, stood in their finery, arms around one another, smiling at the camera, made him start to run.


	3. Chapter 3

**MCGARRETT RESIDENCE 06:30 **

Danny knew that Steve would no doubt have wanted to be leaving early, and no doubt that he had not had any sleep.

The detective stood on the doorstep to Steve's house with his hands in his pockets.

He waited.

Silence.

He waited.

He knocked once more.

Silence.

Sighing shortly, slightly worried that Steve as under arrest for storming the prison the night before once he was left to his own devices.

Retrieving his keys from his pocket Danny let himself in, only to be greeted by Steve trudging down the stairs to face him, SIG on his hip, eyes dark and tired.

"So I thought you might be asleep," Danny greeted, "But looking at you now I guess that isn't true…"

"I went for a run." Steve said in a clipped tone, "I was in the shower."

"You went for a run… _all_ night?" Danny lifted his eyebrows.

"I'm practicing for the triathlon tomorrow." Steve stated as he walked past him out towards the car.

"Ah," Danny followed, "the charity triathlon you and Catherine are so intent on winning… victors of the women's and men's race…"

"Yeh." Steve's response was clipped.

"Well can we pleasure just remember how well you doing something for charity went last night, one of you is in prison on a murder charge…"

"Danny stop, alright!" Steve spun, putting his hand up, "_Stop_ alright! I just want to go and see the governor…"

"We need to go to the office first." Danny said as he opened his car door, "Chin phoned, he said that Fong swung by Kono's last night to speak to her face to face, as he was worried Higgins would know if he phoned her."

Steve straightened, "we will see what he had to say, and then we will get the governor to let us see Cath, get a proper statement from her, and take control of this investigation, run it the way it should be run."

"Agreed." Danny swung down into the Camaro just before Steve sped away.

**FIVE O HQ – 07:00**

Steve and Danny entered the main concourse as Kono and Chin straightened away from the smart table.

"Rough night?" Chin asked empathetically.

"Couldn't sleep." Steve's voice was clipped, his skin looking ashen around his eyes, and his hands clenched tight at his hips, eyes dark in contrast to his white pants. The rings beneath his gaze due to tiredness matched the grey of his shirt.

"Yes, that and running around to elevate stress all night, in preparation for the charity triathlon tomorrow…" Danny mentioned.

Steve straightened.

Kono smiled, "don't worry boss, I'm certain we will get this sorted and you and Catherine will take the crowns on the men's and women's races tomorrow… hell I would be competing if it wasn't for me knee…"

Steve nodded, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands before he folded his arms again and looked forward, "So what did Fong say?"

"So," Kono flipped files around on the table so they could all see, "Fong gave me the ballistics report after Max recovered the bullet from the body."

"The bullet used to kill Glenn was solid gold, and could only be fired from the golden gun we found at the scene, the one with Catherine's finger prints on it." Chin's words made Steve let out a long furious breath, fisting his hands against his eyes.

"No other prints?" he gritted out.

"No." Chin said gravely.

Steve closed his eyes.

Kono shifted her weight where she stood beside the smart table, "So the killer must have been wearing gloves?"  
"Catherine said as much when they took her away." Danny reminded them all.

"So maybe this was just supposed to be an assassination," Steve gestured to the table, "but the killer gets lucky when he sees when Glenn has on him."

"So either someone was out to ostentatiously kill Glenn," Chin looked between them all, "and got lucky by being able to swipe the diamonds, or they were out to kill him for them."

"So are we looking at?" Danny asked, folding his arms, "The man with the golden gun, or diamonds are forever?"

Steve swallowed, "any news on the gun?"

"Yeh," Kono tapped on the screen.

"Our golden murder weapon can be traced back to an online auction in 2008," Chin swiped the photo of the murder weapon, the bullet and a movie poster up onto the screen, "according to the summary it is the original from the movie 'man with a golden gun' and the bidder paid over ten thousand dollars for it."

"Who was the bidder?" Danny looked to Chin, who was staring intently at Steve.

"You are going to like this."

"Oh?"

"The buyer is our very own Roy Higgins, new head of HPD."

"Oh… oh oh…" Steve started to chuckle, a slow grin spreading over his face, as a cool hatred set in his steel eyes. His gaze turned dark and his hand rested on his SIG, drawing it from his holster as he marched towards the door, his purpose growing more threatening with every stance.

"Steve!" Danny shouted after him, "Steve stop… _Steve_!"

**HPD HQ – 08:00**

"Mr Higgins!" Steve pushed open the door to Higgins' office with both hands.

Roy was sat behind his desk, looking at paperwork. He raised his eyebrows and sat back in his chair, drumming his fingers on his desk.

"I don't believe you are allowed in here commander."

"This is your gun I believe…" Steve thrust a picture of the golden gun in Roy's face, suddenly broadening his shoulders and seeming as though he filled the entire office.

Roy smirked at him but said nothing.

"You should know it, should be familiar with it even…" Danny stepped forward, "after all it is the murder weapon in this case…"

"When were you going to mention that part?" Steve demanded.

"I have no reason to mention it to you commander s you are in no way involved in this case." Roy hissed, narrow face contorting, "and in answer to the question you failed to ask I reported that gun missing this morning. Check it if you want."

Steve gritted his teeth, "That doesn't tell us that you did not have it on the night of the murder."

"What are you trying to imply commander?" Roy Higgins stood up, his hands on the desk, "are you accusing me of something? That gun was reported missing…"

"_After_ the crime took place." Steve snapped, stepping closer, his SIG in its holster hitting the wood of the desk, "We have no proof that it was in fact not in your possession on the night of the attack."  
"You do not _need_ proof commander because this is not your investigation." Roy reverted back to type, his eyes cold and angry, "Now you and your task force need to stand down and allow my men to do their work in bringing the killer to justice."

"'the killer'" Steve lifted his eyebrows, ignoring the instruction to leave, "so you know it is not Catherine Rollins too."

"I am not at liberty to discuss ongoing investigations with you commander." Roy Higgins gestured to the door behind Steve with a firm thrust of his locked jaw, "now get out of my office."

"I have full immunity and means…" Steve snarled.

"Over your own cases." Roy stated, "This case belongs to HPD and me. Now _get out_."

"Catherine didn't kill him." Steve was shaking with rage, "That gun, _your gun_, fired only one shot, the kill shot…"

"This is not your investigation." Roy smacked his hands down on the wood, pushing himself up as far as he could, still a head smaller than Steve.

His words were quick and sharp.

"Her fingerprints are the only one on that gun. Even your team, if they were running this, could get _somewhere_ with that."

For one moment Danny was worried Steve was going to punch the new head of HPD in the face. But the commander seethed with fury and turned, marching from the office, one hand on his SIG.

Danny rushed to catch up, "I take it we are going to see the governor now then, to get a pass to see Catherine…"

Steve didn't stop walking.

"I'll drive."

**GOVERNOR'S OFFICE – 08:30 **

"Mr Governor Sir…"

"McGarret if you think that on this little sleep I am going to overlook the fact that you just came storming into my office…"

"Catherine didn't kill your son." Steve insisted where he was stood on the other side of the Governor's desk beside Danny, his hands outstretched, "I know it and so do you... And more importantly so does your new head of HPD who wants not only to arrive on the island and solve a high profile crime quickly, but also to damage the reputation of five o by clapping of my team in handcuffs. Now I need you to let Catherine go..."  
"And I need you to find out who killed my son!" The governor slammed his hands down on the desk and stood to face Steve, his eyes tired, hurt and worried.  
Danny stepped forward, reading the man's expression as well as his words, "So you don't believe it was Catherine either?"  
The governor looked between him and Steve, letting out a long breath and sinking to sit down again, "I don't know what to believe... The cameras were killed just before anything happened, and the necklace is still nowhere to be found."  
"If Catherine was caught in the act as Higgins is claiming she wouldn't have had time to get the necklace away." Steve spelled it out by smacking his hand against his other palm.  
"Well maybe she has hidden it, or wasn't working alone..." the governor's words lapped over one another, "Perhaps her story isn't describing the shooter but rather her accomplice... That is for Higgins and HPD to work out."  
"Five O can catch the killer for you sir," Steve stepped forward, "but you need to let me see Catherine and get a full statement, let me take charge of the case instead of Higgins..."  
"Her statement..." The governor was shaking his head, remember in the wide eyes of the woman Steve was talking about before she was taken to HPD in cuffs, "the mystery man in black who she claims was the shooter was only seen by her."  
"She didn't kill your son." Steve insisted.  
"Her DNA was on the gun that killed Glenn."  
"You heard her story..."  
"And that's all it might well be! A story!" The governor cried, "My son is _dead_! The only people who know the truth are the shooter, whoever that it, Catherine, whether they be the same persons or not, and my son, who is dead."  
"Your new head of HPD won't let me see Cath." Steve drew in a breath, "Get me authorisation to see her, I'll talk to her and she will help me find out who did this, then we will get justice for your son. Please sir. Catherine wouldn't lie to me, whatever she tells me in a statement will be true, and it will help us find the killer of your son."

There was silence for a moment as the governor locked eyes with the Head of Five O, a man he knew to be temperamental, but one he ultimately trusted to get the job done.  
"Very well."  
Steve let out a long breath, "Thank you… In the meantime is there anything you can tell us that would help us to know why someone would shoot Glenn in order to get that necklace."  
"The necklace was worth a small fortune," The governor murmured, staring at the photo of the necklace, pulled from the brochure of the evening, that Steve was handing him, "there's an obvious enough motive for you... God knows how he as planning on paying for it."  
Danny narrowed his eyes, "What do you mean?"  
"Glenn was fired from the FBI five weeks ago, rendering him unemployed." The governor explained, "He was been living here ever since."  
"What was he fired for?"  
"Incompetence."  
Steve looked back to the photo he had handed over, "how many people knew about the necklace being in the auction?"  
"Too many to tell." Governor Dennings shrugged tiredly, "we have been advertising it for weeks, besides invited guests you could buy tickets to the event, they went like hot cakes, there were also internet bidders and people and been enquiring to my personnel staff about it for months in the build-up, requesting phone slots..."  
"And you say this necklace is valuable?"  
"Some would say priceless."

Steve narrowed his eyes and looked to Danny, "That sounds like a motive for murder..."  
"Glenn was a bit of a guy," the governor defended, "liked the ladies liking him... But he wasn't a bad kid. He never grew out of that playboy attitude the FBI and his college saw right through, that's what made him spend all that money on a necklace for a woman he paid to be his date ..."  
"The blonde woman he was with..." Danny remembered.  
"The one who was notably absent just before the CCTV cameras cut out?" Steve straightened.  
"Yes." The governor looked at them intently, "Why?"  
"Had you met her before?"  
"No never. Like many of Glenn's dates he probably hadn't met her before tonight...he used to chat to them online and invite them..."  
Steve was pressing on, "any idea of her name?"  
"No. None. Why?"  
"We need HPD to give us your son's laptop," Danny voiced Steve's train of thought, "So we can see if we can find out more about this date who was with him the whole evening he was murdered for a necklace he bid on and then gave her, but took back before he was shot."

Steve leant on the desk, imploring his point, "Governor I need you to get me a meeting with Catherine, please, she can help us find who killed your son, because it wasn't _her_."

**KAILUA PRISON – 9:00**

"I'm sorry commander. You are not authorized to come in."  
"We have a letter from the governor saying the opposite." Steve shoved the letter at the young officer, "So…"

The officer blocked his way bravely, "Our head Higgins said not to let you in. That letter authorizes appropriate investigators, and due to your relationship with the suspect, you are not appropriate."  
Steve scoffed, eyes blazing, putting a hand on the young officers shoulder and making for the door which let him enter the prison wings, "get out of my way."  
"I'm sorry commander." The young officer pushed out his chest, "those are my orders."  
"Steve he's just a kid." Danny put a hand on Steve's rippling arm muscle, "I'll go in and get the statement, you go wait in the car, and don't fight with anyone."  
Steve opened his mouth to say something but Danny was already walking unopposed towards the door. An officer buzzed him in as Steve stood there, furious, while Danny called over his shoulder, "I'll give her your love." 

**KAILUA PRISON YARD – 9:10**

Catherine sat in the prison yard, face tilted down away from the sun. She did not want her bruised and grazed cheek to burn. She felt dirty and tired.

She sat on the picnic bench, the rest of the yard empty, her feet pushing into the bench seat, her prison clothes scratching her soft skin.

There was the sound of buzzing and the gates drew back. She saw two burly prison guard's part and a man with blonde hair, smaller than the one she had been expecting, arrived in the yard.

She looked down and fisted her hands together and flexed her fingers, looking down as he approached.  
"So are you going to tell me what happened to your cheek or do I have to guess?" Danny walked to sit beside her on the picnic bench, his elbows on his knees.  
"Danny please..." She sighed and shook her head, clearly drawn and tired.  
"You should be glad it is me here and not Super SEAL, what?" He lifted his eyes, "did one of the girls find out you were a cop and rough you up? Who told them?"  
"No one told them." She insisted, "The person who did this already knew, how could he not, he was the one who..."  
"Higgins?" Danny almost demanded when her voice trailed away, "new head of HPD Higgins?"  
"He was 'interviewing'," She gestured to her cheek, "obviously I couldn't tell him what he wanted to hear... And he hit me for It."  
"Aww Cath." Danny groaned, putting his hands to his eyes, "Steve is going to go-"  
"You can't tell Steve." She spun to face him, her orange trousers scraping against the picnic table, "Please he will do something stupid and no doubt get arrested too..."  
"I can't lie to him." Danny lifted his eyebrows, "Because he will ask me how you are and if I tell him you are fine and when you get let out he sees that he will point fingers at me, and then point his SIG at Higgins."

She sighed and nodded, pushing her hair from her face tiredly, "Ok."  
Danny nodded, reaching to gently touch her arm in comfort as he got down to business, "Tell me what you told Higgins, your statement."  
"I was walking back from the ladies room when I saw the fire escape open." She recounted, the memories replaying through her mind as they had through the night, over and over and over… "I heard shouting and went out to see across the lawn to see that Glenn was laying on his back, a man in a black tux with a Mask on pointing a gun at him, the necklace was in Glenn's hand. It was well lit, I shouted for back up but no one could hear me over the music and we were the only ones on that lawn... He shot Glenn before I could tackle the shooter. Then he ran. I lifted the gun and tried to shoot him the ankle but the gun was empty and he already had the necklace by then and was going through the bushes... I tried to stop the bleeding on Glenn but he was already gone... Then you were all there... And someone was screaming I had done it..."  
"I know you didn't." Danny hushed her gasping voice.  
"Who was screaming?" She asked quietly, looking up to meet his gaze.  
"The woman who was Glenn's date."  
"Any CCTV?"  
He shook his head, and he hated to scrap her hope, "It cuts out just before the shooter comes from the bushes, just before you were alerted."  
"I should've left the gun... or brought my own..." She cursed herself, "I have incriminated myself..."  
"You were trying to save Glenn's life." He said firmly, "and trying to stop the man who had shot him, there's no fault in that..."

She smiled sadly and nodded, reaching up to hug him tightly.

Danny rubbed her back and pulled back.

"Save a special hug for Super SEAL when you see him later, you'll be out of here soon hon' I promise." He spoke to her in the special 'Danno' tone which always calmed Grace.

Catherine drew in a breath and nodded, eyes looking up at the towering prison, the grey block making her shiver, as she thought of having to spend another night there.

**KAILUA PRISON– 9:30**

"Well it didn't take long but I got a statement…" Danny declared as he walked back into the front office of the prison, but found he was not being listened to, as all hands were to the pumps to stand beside Higgins as Steve towered over him, pointing and gesturing.

"Twenty minutes," Danny muttered as he strode forwards, "I leave him alone for twenty minutes…"

"You are treading a very thin line!" Steve was thundering, "barring me from talking to a witness in a case I am now involved in!" Steve shoved the letter from the governor at Higgins, "this is a joint investigation now, HPD and Five O so I am allowed to see any suspects I choose…"  
"You are too involved in this case commander." Higgins shouted back, "You need to step away and let the real cops do the work."  
"I'm not a real cop." Steve snarled, "I'm not even a cop, I'm a SEAL, and that woman in there is innocent as much as she is my girlfriend, so you had better watch your step head of HPD Higgins."

Danny rubbed his head before Higgins glared sharply at Steve and marched away.

**FIVE O HQ – 10:00**

"Going on Catherine's statement we can see who exactly it was who left the fire escape open." Chin swiped up the video footage they had pulled from the governor's mansion so they could all see it.

Steve's arms tightened across his chest at the black and white image.  
"Roy Higgins." He snarled.  
"Oh and look, he's carrying a ski mask and the golden gun." Danny winced for the man.  
"That's evidence enough that he is our shooter." Kono nodded.  
"And I finally got somewhere with Glenn's blonde date." Chin pulled up more info, "Because HPD had cuffed Catherine, Higgins failed to lock down the entire crime scene and everyone walked away without statements."  
"The guy is an idiot." Danny declared.  
"Yeh," Chin agreed, "but what it meant was that no one got a name on Glenn's date. So I ran his computer, she was emailing him from an IP address of an Internet cafe in San Francisco, so there was no look there, and I figured the name she was giving him 'Goldie Finger' probably wasn't her real name..."  
"Really, I'm surprised?" Danny shrugged.  
"And that as an escort," Kono pointed to her photo, "she would have read the function was 007 themed and figured this was a sure fire way of Glenn choosing to hire her for $5000 for the night."  
Steve was staring at the screen, "So who is she really?"  
"I ran facial recognition of the photos that were taken of every couple upon arrival at the event. Her name is Rosie Higgins, and her record is full of burglary and petty theft incidents, she flew onto the island for last night especially and didn't return to the hotel she was checked into...but guess what... She's married..."  
"Really?" Steve narrowed his eyes.  
"Yeh, and this is the good bit," Kono made sure to tread carefully, "she's married to our new head of HPD Roy Higgins."  
"Wow..." Danny gasped.  
"So what?" Chin narrowed his eyes, "Higgins finds out his wife is playing at being a rich man's girlfriend and snaps... Seems like the kind of guy to do it."  
"Higgins is old," Steve stepped up, "Perhaps they staged this whole thing, having known about the necklace being here for weeks, they planned to con Glenn into giving it to Rosie once he as smitten, things went bad, and Glenn ends up dead..."  
"And CCTV told us that that it was Roy who went out of that fire escape before Catherine who found it open." Kono reminded them.  
"Then he was out there already to shoot Glenn if he didn't hand over the necklace to Rosie. It's a con gone badly." Steve felt his anger rising.  
"There's something else." Chin tapped the screen, "I put together a timeline for Roy and Rosie using the CCTV inside the mansion. They arrive separately but they keep tabs on one another throughout the evening. When Glenn buys the necklace she tries to make him give it to her, but what happens next is even better, she does something very strange after he won't give her to necklace."  
"She makes a signal." Danny noted, watching as, on the stage, she put up two fingers behind her back to the audience.  
"That's the signal that Glenn isn't going to give her the necklace willingly." Steve pointed to the image, "It tells Roy to sneak out of the back exit to meet them out on the back lawn, knowing that that is where Rosie is going to lead Glenn."

He looked at them all, seeing he had their full attention, he pressed on with his recount, "Catherine returning from the ladies room to find the fire exit open wasn't expected… but having Catherine follow them out there and interrupt gave Roy someone to pin it on firmly. By the time Catherine got out there the plan was already underway, Rosie had stormed off to deactivate the CCTV, and Roy had burst out of the bushes in a mask and struggled with Glenn for the necklace, shooting him when he wouldn't comply. Catherine found him then and tried to get a shot off to stop him, but there was only one bullet in the gun, and putting her prints on it incidentally."  
"She incriminated herself in the murder by trying to stop Roy escaping." Danny used Catherine's words from when he had talked to her earlier.  
"As a seasoned FBI officer as soon as he was clear and back again he could point the finger at her, knowing there would be no evidence to support her story, except her prints on the gun we knew was used to kill Glenn." Steve continued, "Roy and Rosie's plan had been to pull of an untraceable robbery and murder, but Catherine stumbling cross them meant they got something better, they got someone to frame."  
"And further putting Rosie in handcuffs we figure out why the cameras failed on the lawn." Kono swiped up another black and white image for them to observe.

It showed Rosie, in her finery, down the side of the governor's mansion; hurl a rock at the camera.  
"Of you she got to be kidding me." Danny shook his head.  
"She kills the camera which would see Roy shoot Glenn," Kono explained, "but _not_ the one which sees her tamper with the camera."  
"Can we track her?" Steve stepped forward.

Kono tapped on the screen and triangulated the woman's cell phone. She watched the moving dot for a moment before she spoke, "She is making her way down Honolulu straight towards HPD."  
"No doubt going to see her partner in crime." Chin spoke of Roy Higgins, their shooter and new head of HPD.  
"Then let's go chat to them shall we?" Steve demanded.


	4. Chapter 4

**OUTSIDE HPD HQ – 10:45**

The Camaro and Kono's car screeched to a halt outside HPD to stand amidst cop cars, onlookers and several ambulances.

"Hey… Duke!" Steve ran over to the man they knew and trusted, "what happened?"

"An officer heard gunfire coming from Head of HPD's office, he was found behind his desk with a bullet hole to the chest." Duke told them.

Steve's wide eyes snapped around as the ambulance pulled away and his team stopped beside him, "is he going to be okay?"

"They reckon so, the shooter was sloppy and didn't hit anything vital, they are just taking him off for surgery." Duke pointed to the ambulance which disappeared around the block corner.

"And there is no sign of Rosie or her car." Kono noted.

"Alright I want officers on the floor he is taken too," Steve stated, "I need the CCTV from the corridor of Roy's office to try and find out who the shooter is…"Steve holstered his SIG, "Roy Higgins is now our prime suspect in a murder investigation."

**FIVE O HQ – 11:15**

"So I looked at the CCTV from HPD HQ," Kono showed Steve and Danny the images off of the smart board, "Rosie enters the office, is there for only five minutes, and then she leaves whilst putting a gun in her bag…"

"There's some hard evidence for you." Danny noted.

"And there's more." She tapped on the screen.

"It seems there always is in this case." Danny muttered.

Steve shot him a look before looking forward.

"But if we are sure now that Roy Higgins was the shooter who killed Glenn, why would Rosie shoot him?" The navy SEAL narrowed his eyes.  
Kono shrugged, "perhaps she's as upset over Glenn's death."  
"We have established from the emails back and forth that there was no love between them," Danny disagreed, "just shameless flirting on both sides. I've put her on the no flight list and the coast guard have her image."

"Hey," Chin walked into the bull ring, "A company who own safety deposit boxes down on the south shore phoned in, they have reported a man collecting a necklace from a safety deposit box cashed the night before, which matches the description we put out to HPD. He wired over the CCTV image and look, it's Roy."

They looked at the CCTV images and Steve's eyes darkened, "our shooter thought he had time to move the loot."  
"But it gets better." Chin nodded, "Only an hour later Rosie arrives with the other key, but is told that it is empty, she flips out and runs…"  
"She goes to shoot Roy." Steve pieced It all together, "he knows that he needs that necklace as evidence to Incriminate Cath to shift blame to her away from them. Rosie can't understand it, thinking he's got cold feet, so shoots him and bolts with the necklace."  
Steve's phone started to ring and he looked to see that it was ATS; he shook his head at her own stupidity.

"Of course she didn't think that we would put her on the no flight list… there was only one place she was ever going to go." He lifted it to his ear, "McGarret."

**HONOLULU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - 12:00**

"The guy was an idiot he should've just handed the necklace over!"

Rosie sat before them, handcuffed in a cold dark ATS office of the airport she had tried to escape from.

Steve and Danny stood facing her, and the latter couldn't help but quip, "_You're_ an idiot if you think you are going to talk away from trying to kill your husband and being an accessory to a murder he carried out."

Steve stepped forward, his eyes cold, "Come clean now, and it might lower your sentence. The deal is already done for your husband. He's never come out... You have nothing to lose now. You get nothing. So just come clean. And sign that confession…"

She looked at him and swallowed.

Steve pushed it forwards over the table, the glittering necklace she had tried to steel sat on the corner of it.

"Oh look…" Danny goaded her, "what you shot two people for works really well as a paperweight…"

For the first time in two days Steve smiled.

**THE GOVERNORS MANSION – 13:00**

"Roy has been taken to a secure hospital, whereupon his discharge he will be taken to jail." Steve informed the Governor and his wife gravely, who were sat on a large leather sofa holding hands.

Steve stood with his hands folded in front of them, Danny, Chin and Kono at his side, "Rosie confessed both thief parts in the crimes. The con had been months in the planning. They decided to migrate from conning men in bars, with Rosie pickpocketing them and then Roy booking them for indecent assault, to taking the necklace once they heard it was Glenn involved. Your son had a reputation in certain circles as a bit of a player sir."

Kono picked up the explanation, "Rosie got Glenn interested in her online, and Roy bought his way into the HOD role but framing other candidates so new as the last man standing. Then last night, when Rosie led Glenn outside, yet he wouldn't hand over the necklace to her she took off, this being the signal to Roy that he needed to force him to comply."

"This is the time Catherine appears outside to the far west of the mansion seeing the fire exit being left open by Roy." Danny took over, "in that next minute Rosie had cut the wires on the CCTV camera. Then Roy ran out, tried to get Glenn to hand the necklace over, gun held to the Glenn's chest.  
Catherine heard the commotion and turned around, running back but Roy had already got a shot off. He grabbed the necklace and dropped the gun dropped the gun."

They waited a moment while the governor's wife composed herself, putting a hand over her mouth to stifle her sob.

Steve counted to thirty before he continued, "Catherine picked it up but the gun had no more ammo. Roy kept running, necklace in hand, that's when all of us turned up and Rosie started screaming that Catherine killed him." He paused, "I'm very sorry sir. Your son would still be alive if he had given up that necklace willingly. It was a Con gone very badly."

"Thank you Five O." Governor Dennings drew in a breath to push tears from his eyes, "I won't ever lose sight again of what you do to solve crime on this island, or the strength and loyalty in your team… Catherine Rollins will receive compensation and a full letter of apology once I return to my office."

"Thank you sir." They all said in unison, although part of Steve was already wishing he was on his way to prison to collect Catherine.

The minutes apart, now they were ending, dragged on and on.

**OUTSIDE KAILUA PRISON – 15:00**

"Should I have nrought flowers."

"She wont want flowers she will just want to see you."

"Yeh… yeh you are right." Steve stood with danny staring at the gates Catheirne would soon walk through.

The SEAL shifted and flexed his hands,, folding and unfolding his arms.

Danny looked at him in the blazing sun, "will you calm down… you have been apart for a day what is three more minutes…"

Steve opened his mouth to retort but the sound of the large gates pulling back grated on his skin, stopping his words, but that didn't stop him feeling relieved beyond all measure.

Two burly prison guards appeared, and they turned behind them, fiddled with something. Then one stepped back, holding a pair of handcuffs.

Then they parted, and there she stood.

Wearing jeans and her fitted blue t-shirt she appeared, walking between the guards and out of prison.

He found himself smiling, beaming at her, as she suddenly took off into a run, racing through the parking lot towards him.

Catherine's smacked into his chest, her arms reaching up under his to grip at the back of his shoulders.

Steve pushed his face into her shoulder, arms tight around her as they rocked from side to side, his hands then rising to her cheeks and pulling her as gently as he could in for a kiss that was anything but.

She fisted his shirt with her hands as his kiss pushed her slightly over backwards, hands roaming, lips caressing.

When eventually they pulled apart she rested her forehead to his, hands still clutching his shoulders.

"They are both in prison…" Steve told her, "Or Higgins will be as soon as he is out of hospital…"

"I know, they gave me your written report when I was released, along with these clothes… thank you, for them and typing it so quickly…" She sniffed and laughed thickly, his smile returning as he kissed her again.

"Al of this over a necklace, and one you stopped me from buying." He leant back to stare at her, "if I had pushed for the extra thousand none of this would've happened…"

"Don't you dare say I told you so." She put one hand flat on his chest, "I'm the one who spent a night in prison so you don't get to…"

Her words were cut off by him bending to kiss her again. She smiled sadly at his angry expression as the pad of his thumb gently touched below the scratch on her cheek, which was already healing, more bruise than anything else now.  
"He will rot in prison for what he did… and his wife…" He muttered.

"Shhh…" She stretched up to kiss him again softly to soothe him, "I knew you would solve it, I never worried."

He nodded and sighed slightly, running his hands down her sides as she stroked his chest, "I want to ask you…" She watched him carefully, "what made you stop bidding on that necklace in the auction? I have never known you give up on a competitive challenge in your life."

"I saw you were embarrassed, and you and Danny were right, it was stupid to flash about that amount of money just to spite the kid who had a crush I could relate too…" Steve shrugged, looked around the empty prison care lot and sighed, before telling her the quiet truth, "and also because I realised that I would rather spend the evening with you, than with a necklace worth thousands, when I could be with you who are to me _priceless_."

Catherine's smile was watery, and she hugged him tight again, him kissing her temple as she closed her eyes against happy and relieved tears, feeling safe and sure in his arms once again.

Everything was back to normal.

"You know I missed a mornings training for this triathlon…" She sniffed into his neck, "we will need to go for some exercise this afternoon commander…"

He chuckled and hugged her tighter, "whatever you want lieutenant."


End file.
